AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Muriella shoved a thick camouflage jacket into my chest and slipped her arms through a decidedly more feminine coat. Out the door and into the stairwell we went, me trailing her as she climbed two flights of stairs. A rooftop deck was the last thing I expected, especially one with green grass on a portion of it.
Crossing the large space, I leaned on the edge, looking out at the cityscape. I inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh New Year's air, even if it was tainted by the city. Muriella joined me, her arm touching mine as we observed the life going on around us.
“It's done,” I said without looking at her.
She tensed, a blank expression on her face. “When?”
“Today, and though I can't atone for what he did to you, I want you to know he suffered. Had been since he came after you a few weeks ago.”
“What did you do?”
“It's not important. The fact he will never hurt you again is all that matters.”
“That’s why you smelled like smoke when you arrived,” she concluded, understanding clouded with little emotion in her eyes.
I didn’t confirm or deny the truth. How he’d died wasn’t important, and she didn’t need the image of his last moments in her mind.
Muriella’s nose twitched, and though it had been a lot of years, I knew exactly what that meant. My baby sister was going to cry. “Don't waste your tears on that bastard,” I said, enveloping her in my arms.
“They aren't for him. They're for me. I couldn't go anywhere without looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to find me. I'm finally free. You did that for me. Thank you, Carlos. You've saved my life twice,” she choked out between sobs.
“If I'd have been a better man, you'd have never gone through any of it,” I said, clutching her to me. I hadn't brutally raped her, but I still felt responsible.
“No,” she insisted, her voice strong. “No more. We move on from this. We're both free now.”
“I have pictures of us with Mama, and I saved some of her things. But everything else is gone.”
“Good.” She didn't ask for specifics, and she didn't judge me for what I'd done. “I'm sorry you had to do it, but I'm glad you did.”
“This will be my only confession,” I said.
She touched my face. “There is nothing for you to be forgiven for.” And then she looked uncertain. “He's really gone? Never to come back?”
“Never. I would have brought you proof, but there is none.”
Her demeanor transformed, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from her soul. Muriella had already found joy in her life, but now the dark shadow surrounding it would be gone. I'd kill him all over again to see my sister happy.
“So what does this mean for you?” she asked.
“I've been dismantling the business for a long time now.” Our rivals would pick up our lost business. I'd done what I could to eliminate as many of them as possible, but the war on drugs was a losing battle. “I have plans for the land the compound was on. A way to put people to work doing something worthwhile. We can talk about it later, considering it's half yours.”
“What do you mean, the land the compound 'was' on?”
“The house, the stables, everything . . . it's gone.” I shoved my hands into the pockets of the jacket and looked over the ledge of the roof. “It doesn't erase anything that happened there, but it needed to go. Too much horror.”
My sister sighed in relief. “I'm glad. I could never go back there. I hope nothing’s left. Not even a nail.”
“I can assure you it's been eradicated.”
“Then you'll stay here for a while.” Even though she was younger, she was giving me an order.
“I was hoping you'd want that.”
“Why wouldn't I?” Her small hand came to rest on my forearm, her eyes imploring me.
“You have your own life. A new husband. I'm practically a stranger, and you don't need anyone else in your life. Especially someone who reminds you of the hell you went through.” Once my mouth opened, all of my fears and doubts tumbled out. I'd kept everything locked up so tightly most of my life, I hadn't realized how much I needed someone to trust and lean on.
“Not a day has gone by since you sent me to safety that I haven't thought of you. That was the worst thing about leaving. I missed you, knew you were withhim, but I couldn't let myself dwell on it because I was already struggling so much. I had to pretend you were okay,” she confessed.
